The blog
Reader guides, science explainers and practical notes on writing and publishing science fiction.
Science
Consciousness as a State of Matter: A Speculative Idea and Its Uses in Science Fiction
Could consciousness be a state of matter, like solid or liquid? Tegmark's perceptronium and integrated information theory explained, and how SF uses them.
26 September 2026, 7 min read
The Discovery of the Cosmic Microwave Background, and What It Offers SF Writers
Science, 7 min read
7 Reasons to Finish Your Entire First Draft Before Going Back to the Beginning
Writing craft, 7 min read
Writer's Block: Practical Causes, Fixes and a 7-Day Reset Plan
Writing craft, 7 min read
Don't Show, Period? When Telling Is the Right Choice
Writing craft, 6 min read
Antimatter Explained: How CERN Makes It, Traps It and Why SF Gets It Wrong
Science, 8 min read
Creating Characters: Wants, Needs, Wounds and Contradictions
Writing craft, 7 min read
The Editing Myth: What Each Kind of Edit Really Does
Writing craft, 7 min read
Dystopian, Utopian, Cacotopian: What the Terms Mean and Where They Overlap
Science fiction, 7 min read
The Hidden Benefits of Being an Unknown Author
Self-publishing, 6 min read
The Daimones Trilogy: Reading Order, Escalation and Where It Fits in SF
Books, 7 min read
Choosing the Right Point of View for Your Story
Writing craft, 8 min read
Daimones: A Reader's Guide to Book One of the Daimones Trilogy
Books, 7 min read
CreateSpace, Lightning Source, Lulu: Where Should You Self-Publish Your Print Book Today?
Self-publishing, 7 min read
How to Describe Characters Without Writing a Catalogue
Writing craft, 7 min readStart with the first chapter
One quiet morning, a family of three, and a planet that has gone silent.